


Stranger on a Quiet Street

by rosepetaled



Category: Groundhog Day (1993)
Genre: Angst, Heartache, Multi, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-08
Updated: 2018-11-08
Packaged: 2019-08-20 13:27:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,607
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16556645
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rosepetaled/pseuds/rosepetaled
Summary: Based off of flowerdeluce's prompt found in her Yuletide letter: "Phil walks down a residential street and happily recalls past experiences with every member of each household while feeling sad that none of them remember him". Fondness and sadness ensues.





	Stranger on a Quiet Street

**Author's Note:**

  * For [flowerdeluce](https://archiveofourown.org/users/flowerdeluce/gifts).



> flowerdeluce, I thought that was you! Hola again.
> 
> This is another one of my favourite movies. I grew up watching it so I have a lot of fond memories attached to this film. I hope you enjoy it!

Phil had suddenly become interested in strolling around at night, taking in sights he normally wouldn’t, with the only light coming from the dim, about to die street lamps and the yellow glow of the houses he passed by. He walked with fast strides, like he didn’t want to stay in front of a house for too long. Phil hated to admit that it hurt too much to linger around them.

            As he darted past one house, his eyes quickly scanned to the left, taking in the sight of the one-story building. There was a blue car out the front, nothing all that special or expensive, but it still caught Phil’s attention, a small smile forming on his face.

            _“I’m sorry I screwed up.”_

_Phil had been strolling down the pavement with his hand in his pockets when he heard the grumbling voice of a man. The person sounded sad, and Phil couldn’t help but look up, curious as to what had the stranger so down. Phil’s eyes settled on the man, his head tilting slightly at the blonde haired, unknown person._

_“Billy, it’s fine, don’t worry,” said the dark-haired woman in front of the man. “Let’s just go back inside.”_

_“But, Sandra, I didn’t even… I don’t know what’s wrong with the car,” murmured Billy, giving the blue Honda a harsh slap to the hood. “It was fine yesterday. Let me look at it again.”_

_“You’ve looked at it at least ten times now,” replied Sandra with a shrug. “I said it’s okay.”_

_“What’s the problem?” asked Phil, leaning over their white gate. He was being nosy, but it seemed that being nosy was a good way to find out about people’s problems._

_“Nothing,” began Sandra, about to wave off Phil when her husband (Phil assumed they were married) spoke up._

_“My car won’t start. Do you know anything about cars? Like, anything at all. I need any help I can get,” said the man, stepping forward and opening the gate. He practically yanked Phil inside who was rather happy about the encounter._

_“I’m kinda dumb when it comes to cars, do you guys need a ride some place? What about a taxi?”_

_The man sighed and grabbed Phil’s shoulders, his blue eyes wide. Phil could practically feel them pleading. “It’s too expensive, plus it’s too much of a hassle for what I had planned for today. It’s my wife’s birthday and I had all these fun things planned for her. The spa, then the nail place, then a nice restaurant for lunch, then a nice, home-cooked meal. But I need my car! I don’t know what happened to it. I’d take a taxi but I don’t want to have my wife waiting out in the cold for it to pick us up… She deserves better,” the man sighed, head low as he gave Phil’s shoulders a squeeze._

_Phil looked over to Sandra. There was a definite look of disappointment on her face, but she seemed sad too. Sad for her husband who seemed like he was trying hard, sad that she wouldn’t get the fun day he had planned._

_“Go rent a car,” suggested Phil. “Get a taxi into town and rent one.”_

_The man lowered his voice like he didn’t want his wife to hear. “I can’t afford that. Rental cars cost too damn much, and I need money for the lunch, and I just-”_

_It didn’t take long for Phil to dig his hand into his pocket, handing over every bit of cash in his wallet. “Go have fun, kids,” said Phil, giving a friendly nudge to Billy’s chin with his fist. He stepped back before Billy could give the cash out, quick to get back behind the fence._

_“Wait, what? No, I can’t take this… This is way too much!” gasped Billy, stepping forward, hand outreached with the money in his fist._

_“Nah, keep it,” Phil waved his hand before patting his stomach. “Go get some lobster.”_

_Those were his last words to the couple before he ran down the street like a crazy person, worried they’d hand the money back over._

            Phil didn’t want to admit it but he had kind of stalked them. There seemed to be only one car rental place in town and during his sleuthing session he found the happy couple there, grinning wildly, hands tightly clasped together.

            A found smile found its way to Phil’s lips as he eyed their car. They had no memory of him whatsoever, and while Phil was ecstatic they had a fun day out (which was what really mattered), he still felt a little ache in his chest that they had no idea who he was. He forced himself to keep on moving, to focus on the blur that was ahead, but the next house caught his eye, and there was another sting in his chest as he fell backwards into time once more. 

            _There was the distinct whine of a child. The noise quickly alerted Phil, his head snapping to the left where he saw a little boy with his hands on his hips._

_“No fair,” the boy murmured before letting out a little grunt._

_“You okay there, kid?” asked Phil. He knew it looked bad for a grown-ass man to be talking to a kid who he had never met before, but the child seemed genuinely worried._

_“Um,” the boy began, voice soft and eyes on the snow at his feet. “I can’t make the head for my snow man. My arms hurt…”_

_“Aw,” pouted Phil. “You’re too little, huh? Do you need a hand?”_

_With parted lips the boy looked behind him, like he was searching for his parents, before turning back to Phil. “Yes, please.”_

_With a soft hum Phil entered the yard, rubbing his hands together before the boy spoke again._

_“My mom’s inside,” he told Phil. “She’s on the phone. She should be out here soon.”_

_“Well, that’s good, she shouldn’t let you play by yourself for too long,” nodded Phil, kneeling into the ground, hands pushing together clumps of snow. “What’s your name, buddy?”_

_“Elliot,” smiled the boy, a few teeth missing here and there._

_Cute, thought Phil. “Nice to meet you. My name’s Phil.”_

_“Like the groundhog?” asked Elliot, hands pushing together snow to join Phil’s growing clump._

_“The one and only!”_

_A woman popped out of the front door suddenly, eyes wide as she stepped forward. “Uh, can I help you?”_

_Phil’s head snapped up, clearing his throat as he got to his feet. “Sorry, this looks weird and is probably totally inappropriate. Not probably, completely. But I come in peace, I promise. Your son just needed help making the head for his snow man. I… I can leave. I’m sorry for being a freak,” laughed Phil uncomfortably, stepping back slowly, hands held up in defence._

_“No, stay, please. I can’t put the head on, it’s too heavy,” pouted the boy, yanking on Phil’s coat sleeve._

_Looking up at the boy’s mother, she watched her give what seemed like a sad smile. It made Phil wonder where the kid’s dad was. The woman stepped out into the snow, her arms crossed as she nodded at Phil._

_“Can you help Elliot with the head?” she asked._

_“On it,” Phil saluted before looking back at Elliot.  “You ready for lift off, bud?” wondered Phil, and Elliot gave him a wide smile which was the only answer he needed. Elliot gripped the giant snow ball as Phil hoisted him up, a wide smile on the man’s face as Elliot completed the job._

_“Thank you so much!” clapped Elliot, his hands wrapping around Phil’s legs once he was back on the ground. “Can you come back tomorrow? Can we build more stuff? Please?”_

_“Elliot, babe, I’m sure your new friend is busy,” said the boy’s mom. “Say thank you, though. He did help you out.”_

_“Thank you Phil,” said the boy with a warm smile. “Just like the groundhog – except better!”_

The memory was far too bittersweet for Phil to keep thinking about. He eyed the small house and sighed as the sound of muffled Christmas songs filled his ear, and felt his heart sink when he looked at the snow in the yard, a half-built snow man practically glaring at him. Biting his lip harder than necessary, Phil pushed himself to keep on walking, feeling like the other houses were calling out to him.

            There was the pink house that belonged to an elderly couple. Phil had helped them with their groceries, their frail bodies not what they used to be. They needed help bringing the bags inside, with Phil more than happy to lend a hand. There was the white house with the young teenager, a young girl who had fallen off her bike, her elbows covered in blood. She had hugged him nice and tight and since then he always carried around a box of Band-Aids in his pocket. There was the little lost boy who had stumbled too far from his house, child to a young couple who had newborn twins to look after. Phil wasn’t angry at them or anything; he could see the stress and relief on their faces when Phil brought their only son back home.

            Phil had never been good with being sentimental, so he pushed the sad thoughts away, desperate to escape the little street he had quickly fallen in love with. He’d probably just fall in love with a different one tomorrow, anyway – just as hard and fast. It would be just as hard to have them all look at him like he was a stranger.

           


End file.
